Bless This in Moderation – A Poem for Haftarah Shemot

These poems are offered free for your enjoyment. If you use them as part of an event, meeting, educational or liturgical setting, please consider tipping the author.

Share this poem:

For a people whose rituals
invariably revolve around the
consumption of wine

Isaiah surely takes us to task
for drinking too much of it.
We end up in a

valley of fatness, crushed
by wine. We err because of wine.
We stray because of wine.

We become corrupt
because of wine. But look ahead
to Passover, or Purim

or any Shabbat and
we’re not doing it correct if
wine is not involved.

Our sweet and sickly wine
snubbed by anyone who knows
better about wine

our forever ritual punishment
for the too strong liquid which
sent our fore-tribes

before the quill of Isaiah,
the ultimate scolder. The
constant reminder of

who’s in charge.
The man who could use a
good cup of wine.

Use the nice glasses.
We’re taking the grapes back.
The fruit of the vine…